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Plain-language answers to the most common Schengen 90/180 questions.

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Schengen 90/180 11 Visa runs 7 Residence permits 6 By country 16 Tax residency 3

The 90/180 rule

The Schengen 90/180 rule, explained The 90/180 rule lets you stay up to 90 days within any rolling 180-day period in the Schengen Area. On every single day the border looks back exactly 180 days and counts how many of them you were present — and that total must never exceed 90. What happens if you overstay in Schengen Overstaying the Schengen 90/180 limit can lead to fines, deportation, an entry ban recorded in the Schengen Information System, and refusals of future visas. The consequences vary by country and by how long you overstayed. Does the day of entry and exit count in Schengen? Yes. In the Schengen Area both the day you enter and the day you leave count as full days of presence, even if you were only in the country for a few hours. How long can you stay in Europe without a visa? If you travel visa-free or on a short-stay visa, the Schengen 90/180 rule lets you stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Europe is bigger than Schengen, though — non-Schengen countries count their days separately, so careful planning can extend a European trip well beyond 90 days. Do Schengen visa runs actually reset your days? A visa run — leaving the Schengen Area for a day or two and coming straight back — does not reset your 90/180 count. Because the 180-day window is rolling, your recent days still count until they are more than 180 days old. Schengen countries: the full list The Schengen Area has 29 member countries where the 90/180 limit is shared. Your days in any of them add up to the same 90-day allowance — crossing an internal border does not reset anything.

Popular Schengen countries

How long can you stay in Spain? Spain is in the Schengen Area, so visa-exempt visitors can stay up to 90 days within any 180-day period. Those days are shared across the whole Schengen Area — Spain does not give you a separate allowance. How long can you stay in Portugal? Portugal is in the Schengen Area, so visa-exempt visitors can stay up to 90 days within any 180-day period. Those days are pooled across the whole Schengen Area — Portugal is not a separate 90-day allowance. How long can you stay in Germany? Germany is in the Schengen Area, so visa-exempt visitors can stay up to 90 days within any 180-day period. That allowance is shared with every other Schengen country — it is not a fresh German quota. How long can you stay in Greece? Greece is in the Schengen Area, so visa-exempt visitors can stay up to 90 days within any 180-day period. Those days are shared across all of Schengen — island-hopping does not earn you a separate Greek allowance. How long can you stay in Poland? Poland is in the Schengen Area, so visa-exempt visitors can stay up to 90 days within any 180-day period. Those days are shared with the entire Schengen Area — Poland is not a separate 90-day window.

Living outside Schengen

Tracking your days in Georgia, Serbia and other non-Schengen hubs Popular relocation hubs like Georgia, Serbia, Armenia, Montenegro and Turkey each have their own visa-free limits. Living there does not put your days on autopilot — and if you also travel to the Schengen Area, you are tracking two separate clocks at once. Visa runs in Thailand, Vietnam and Bali: track your days Across Southeast Asia — Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and neighbours — many nomads live on short visa-free stays, visa-on-arrival and regular visa runs. The limits are strict and overstays are fined by the day, so tracking your days is a requirement. How long can you stay in Cyprus? Cyprus is in the European Union but not in the Schengen Area, so it runs its own 90/180 rule: visa-exempt visitors can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Crucially, those days are counted separately from Schengen.

Residence permits

Keeping your residence permit: how long you can be away A residence permit lets you live in a country — but most permits also require you not to be absent for too long. Stay away past the limit and you can lose the permit or be refused a renewal. The exact allowance depends on the country and on whether your permit is temporary or permanent. Residence in Spain: how long you can be away Spanish residence permits expect you to actually live in Spain. Spend too long abroad and you can be refused a renewal or lose long-term status. The limits differ sharply between temporary and long-term residence. Residence in Portugal: how long you can be away A Portuguese residence permit can be cancelled if you spend too long outside the country without an accepted reason. Temporary and permanent permits have different absence limits. Residence in Cyprus: how long you can be away Cyprus residence permits can be cancelled if you are absent for too long. The temporary “pink slip” is strict; permanent residence is far more relaxed. Residence in Georgia: how long you can be away Georgia is popular for its easy residence and long visa-free stay — but a residence permit still expects you to spend real time in the country. Residence in Turkey: how long you can be away A Turkish residence permit can be cancelled or refused at renewal if you spend too long outside the country. Short-term and long-term permits differ.

Visa runs

Visa runs: how day limits really work A “visa run” means leaving a country and coming back to keep staying on visa-free or visa-on-arrival terms. Whether that actually gives you fresh days depends entirely on how the country’s limit is written — and the four common shapes count very differently. Turkey visa runs: how the day limits work How long you can stay in Turkey visa-free — and whether a border run helps — depends on your passport. Montenegro visa runs: how the day limits work Montenegro is a classic base for border runs, but whether leaving actually resets your days depends on your passport. Armenia visa runs: how the day limits work Armenia offers a generous visa-free stay, but it is a rolling limit — a border run does not add days.

Tax residency

Tax residency: what it is and why it matters Your tax residency decides which country can tax your income — often your worldwide income, not just what you earn locally. It usually depends on how much time you spend in a country, which is why counting your days matters. The 183-day rule explained The 183-day rule is the most common test for tax residency: spend more than 183 days in a country during the relevant period and it may treat you as a tax resident. How the days and the period are defined varies by country. Double taxation and how tax treaties help If two countries both consider you a tax resident, you could face tax on the same income twice. Double tax treaties exist to prevent that, using tie-breaker rules to decide which country has the primary right to tax you.

Track it automatically

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